Device for Infiltration of Approximal Enamel Lesions of Teeth

ABSTRACT

The device for infiltration of approximal tooth surfaces, with a flexible planar element and with a holder into which the planar element is clamped, is characterized in that the planar element is a liquid-impermeable plastic film which has a surface area for taking up a liquid to be used for treatment, and in that the holder is a bow-shaped element with a web and two lateral arms which extend from the latter and are arranged in an arc-shape or U-shape, to which the plastic film is connected in a liquid-impermeable manner.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of co-pending application 12/808,539filed Aug. 12, 2010, which is the Section 371 US National Stage ofPCT/EP2008/008968 filed Oct. 23, 2008.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a device for infiltration of approximal toothsurfaces, with a flexible planar element, and with a holder into whichthe planar element is clamped.

With such a device, the planar element can be used not only to cleaninterdental spaces, but also to provide these with fluoride compounds(US 2006/0000486). For this purpose, the cloth-shaped or cloth-likeplanar element is soaked with the fluoride compound. In this way, bothtooth surfaces lying opposite each other in the interspace are wetted atthe same time.

Wetting on both sides is in many cases undesirable. This is particularlyso when a dental restoration material for incipient caries is to beapplied. Caries is characterized by progressive demineralization of theenamel by metabolic products of bacteria, resulting in the firstinstance in small lesions called white spots. If left untreated, theselead to cavities that finally destroy the tooth. Even lesions that aredetected at an early stage can rarely be remineralized. They are usuallytreated by traditional filling therapy in which healthy tooth substancealso has to be removed. Filling therapy is particularly disadvantageousin the case of approximal caries, i.e. caries present on the aspect ofthe tooth facing the neighboring tooth, since healthy tooth substanceincreasingly has to be removed in order to gain access. However, giventhe poor accessibility, even for toothbrushes, approximal caries occursmuch more frequently than caries on smooth surfaces (outer (vestibular)and inner (lingual/palatal) aspects of the teeth).

The need to remove healthy tooth substance is largely avoided by themethod of infiltration of enamel lesions, in which method an infiltrant,a liquid with a high coefficient of penetration, is introduced into theexisting lesion and is polymerized there, if necessary after the lessporous surface layer of the caries has been removed using an etchingagent (e.g. an acid gel) in order to open the pores of the damaged area.The lesion is thus protected against the entry of bacteria and/or themetabolic products thereof. For approximal use of the infiltrant,special application aids are needed because of the difficulty of access.

For this purpose, it is known to use films as aids for applyingsubstances to approximal surfaces of teeth.

German laid-open specification DE 10216950 A1 describes applying afluoride gel by means of a flexible film. To make it easier to insertthe film into the interdental space, it can be strengthened along thefilm edge by an integrated thread. A continuation of this thread isintended to avoid the film being swallowed.

The published international application WO 00/66025 A1 describes amethod for applying and hardening dental protective varnishes by meansof a fabric strip. The latter contains areas with substrate materials inwhich the substances are made available. At its ends, the strip istypically made of dental floss or of other filaments, in order tofacilitate insertion into the interdental space. The strips havesufficient mobility in order to adapt to the dental arch, and/or thesubstrate material is adapted to the dental arch.

Moreover, European patent application EP 1854445 A1 discloses polymerplastic films for use as application strips for infiltration ofapproximal enamel lesions. The application strips consist of plasticfilms measuring ca. 20 cm in length, onto which a coating is appliedthat carries an infiltrant or an etching agent.

However, all the application strips described to date have thedisadvantage that their dimensions and mobility make them difficult tohandle. Handling is also made difficult by the fact that polymer plasticfilms can statically charge and then adhere to the hands or gloves ofthe user. Mobility also poses the danger of the substances that are tobe transferred coming into contact with healthy enamel or even with theoral mucosa. Moreover, they can only be used with two hands in the oralcavity, such that the user no longer has a hand free with which toinsert another device (dental mirror, etc.). Moreover, in the case ofthe rear molars for example, the user has to place the fingers deep inthe oral cavity in order to bring the films correctly into position inthe interdental space. The limited space for working in and the field ofview are thus restricted. Woven materials such as dental floss have thedisadvantage that they are not resistant to the infiltrants to be used,since they are very movable, even with considerable thickness offilament.

An object is to overcome the disadvantages of known application strips.

SUMMARY

The planar element is a liquid-impermeable plastic film, which has asurface area for taking up a liquid to be used for treatment, and theholder is a bow-shaped element with a web and with two lateral armswhich extend from the latter and which are arranged in an arc shape or Ushape, to which the plastic film is connected in a liquid-impermeablemanner.

In contrast to the prior art mentioned at the outset, the plastic filmis not permeable to liquid, with the result that said liquid can beapplied and act only on one side. The planar element is also not justsimply inserted into two guides and lies on the holder without anysealing. By contrast, the liquid-impermeable connection to thebow-shaped element ensures that no liquid can get to the other side,even at the location where it holds the planar element.

In an advantageous embodiment, the film is transparent at least in part.This greatly improves the field of view during treatment.

The film is limited in its mobility by the bow-shaped element, such thatthe user can use it easily with one hand in the oral cavity.

Bow-shaped holders are known in the dental field, for example for dentalfloss or abrasive tapes for cleaning approximal tooth surfaces. Examplesthat may be mentioned here are US 2005/0271999 and EP 1449495 A2.However, these holders have to be made very stable, since they have towithstand considerable forces when cleaning the tooth surfaces orinterdental spaces, and they therefore have to be suitably large. Thisproblem does not arise in the infiltration of approximal enamel lesions,since in this case only a thin film has to be introduced into theinterdental space widened slightly by a separating wedge or the like,and preferably, after removal of the separating wedge, the film is heldby the adjacent teeth themselves, with no further frictional forcesbeing exerted on the film. One would therefore expect that a personskilled in the art would not take these known bow-shaped holders intoconsideration when seeking a solution to the problem and that he wouldeven regard them as disadvantageous, in view of the additional costs andof the additional space they take up. This preconception is nowovercome. Moreover, for the use, the bow-shaped holders have to beresistant to aggressive media, in particular hydrochloric acid, whichdoes not have to be the case of the bow-shaped holders of the prior art.

The film provided in the device includes a separate area that can takeup or already contains a liquid. When the liquid is brought into contactwith the approximal enamel lesion, this area delivers the liquid to thelesion (infiltrates it). The infiltration liquid can be a constituent ofa gel.

The bow-shaped element has greater stiffness than the film, as a resultof which the film is stabilized. Uncontrolled movements, twisting,kinking or bending of the application strip are thus avoided. Thebow-shaped element is preferably made of a thermoplastic. It ispreferably an injection-molded part. It has an upper web and two lateralarms. The web and arms are preferably formed in one piece. The web andarms are arranged in an arc shape or U shape. The span width of the arccan preferably narrow toward the ends. The bow-shaped element has a sizeallowing it to receive at least one film corresponding to the approximalsurface of a human tooth. It has a size that makes it possible to insertthe device fully into the oral cavity and use it in an interdentalspace. The bow-shaped element has a span width of 5 to 35 mm, preferably10 to 25 mm, particularly preferably 15 to 20 mm. The lateral arms havea length corresponding approximately to the height of a crown of atooth. The lateral arms are preferably slightly longer than theneighboring crowns are high. The web has a length of 3 to 25 mm,preferably 4 to 20 mm, particularly preferably 5 to 15 mm.

The bow-shaped element can have a predetermined flexural strength.Particularly in the area of the web, it has a flexural strength thatmakes it possible to slightly bend this device transversely with respectto the occlusal surface in order to better adapt the clamped plasticfilm to a curved approximal tooth surface.

For this purpose, the bow-shaped element can alternatively be designedin such a way that the film is forced from the outset into an arc shapetransversely with respect to the occlusal surface. The web is thenformed in an arc shape transversely with respect to the occlusal surfaceof the teeth. The arms extend substantially perpendicular to the bendingof the web. The film substantially follows the profile of the arc and issecurely connected to the arms and to the web.

A further alternative is to choose plastic films that are so extensiblethat they easily adapt themselves to the tooth surface.

The plastic film is securely connected to the bow-shaped element. Theplastic film can be clamped in the bow-shaped element. However,non-destructive separation is preferably not provided. The plastic filmis preferably welded or adhesively bonded onto the bow-shaped element.

The device is preferably designed as a disposable part and is intendedto be used only once. Repeated use is, however, also possible.

The plastic film is largely transparent or transparent at least in part,preferably with the entire film being transparent. This generallypermits a better field of vision and in particular permits a good viewof the treatment area.

The plastic film is preferably made of a plastic that is easy to weld tothe plastic of the bow-shaped element. The plastic film expediently hasa high tear strength while at the same time having a low thickness. Theplastic film has in particular a good chemical resistance to the liquidsthat are to be taken up. The plastic is preferably a polyolefin, e.g.polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE), polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride or polyacrylate, a polyamide, a polyester or polycarbonate.Here, plastics are also to be understood as ones based on naturalpolymers, e.g. celluloid. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), e.g.Hostaphan®, is particularly preferred. It is important that the film isresistant to aggressive media, in particular hydrochloric acid. It mustlast substantially undamaged for the maximum period of contact of aboutone hour.

The plastic film, particularly in the untensioned state, has a degree ofinherent stability, such that compression, for example, is avoided.Moreover, the plastic film has to have a thickness permitting insertioninto the interdental space. The plastic film, together with the area fortaking up the liquid or containing the liquid, preferably has athickness allowing insertion into the interdental space. The thicknessof the plastic film is less than about 1 mm, preferably less than about0.5 mm, more preferably less than about 0.3 mm, more preferably lessthan about 0.1 mm, particularly preferably less than about 0.05 mm.

The height and length of the plastic film are adapted to the bow-shapedelement. The dimensions ensure that contact of the liquid with theneighboring tooth is largely avoided. This protection againstcontamination is further improved if the film is sealingly connected tothe bow-shaped element on three sides, following the bow profile.

The area for taking up the liquid, that is to say the actual applicationfield, is configured such that it can take up a suitable amount ofsubstance and can also easily release this substance again. It should beconfigured such that the substance remains substantially limited to theapplication field.

In the simplest case, the area for taking up the liquid is a roughenedsurface of the film. This can be achieved, for example, by thermaltreatment of the film.

Moreover, a cover on the film can serve as the application field. Thiscover is composed, for example, of foam, woven fabric (synthetic ornatural), paper or felt.

It is also possible to produce the cover by flocking the film. The flockand the adhesive have good chemical resistance to the liquids that areto be taken up. The flock is applied preferably as a design flock(partial application field) or alternatively as a whole-surface flock.The adhesion promoters used are preferably dispersion adhesive forscreen printing, polyurethane adhesive, or contact adhesive from thecompany CHT or the company KIWO. The flock types used are preferablypolyether sulfone or polyester, polymethylmethacrylate, polypropylene,aromatic polyamides, special aramid, viscose. The fiber lengths are lessthan 2 mm, preferably approximately 0.2 mm. The fiber thickness is lessthan 6.6 dtex, preferably approximately 0.9 dtex. The fibers canpreferably be white so as to be better able to see the applied media, orthey can be of any desired color.

The roughened film or the cover together with the film have a thicknessof less than about 1 mm, preferably less than about 0.5 mm, morepreferably less than about 0.4 mm, particularly preferably less thanabout 0.3 mm.

The application field can moreover be designed as a depression ormultiplicity of depressions and/or as a hollow or multiplicity ofhollows. The depressions are preferably formed by laser-working of afilm or by the joining of two films, where one of the films has acontinuous recess or a multiplicity of continuous recesses which, afterthe films are joined, form(s) the depression or multiplicity ofdepressions. The join can be produced by heat-sealing, for example. Thedepressions and/or hollows are preferably circular to oval. Thedepressions can additionally have a previously described cover. Hollowsare preferably produced by deep-drawing. The thickness of theapplication field is less than about 1 mm, preferably less than about0.5 mm, more preferably less than about 0.3 mm, more preferably lessthan about 0.1 mm, particularly preferably less than about 0.05 mm.

The plastic film with the application field can also have areas thatcontain cleaning elements. The cleaning areas are arranged to the rightand/or left of the application field, but preferably to the right orleft. The cleaning areas are formed by strippers. Located between thestrippers there are depressions, preferably groove-shaped depressions,which preferably extend transversely with respect to the strippingdirection. However, other geometries can also be used. They serve tostrip off excess infiltration material.

The depressions are preferably formed by the joining of two films, whereone of the films has a recess or a multiplicity of recesses which, afterthe films are joined, form(s) the depressions. The strippers are formedby the remaining film material.

The strippers can also be formed by slats that are connected otherwiseto the film. The slats can, for example, be secured thermally or appliedby means of an adhesive. Slats secured in this way are preferably madeof elastic materials, for example silicone or rubber.

The strippers are preferably arranged obliquely, such that the substancecan better flow off the tooth surface during stripping. The stripperscan also be angled or arc-shaped on both sides, such that excess liquidto be taken up from the tooth surface can flow off easily.

Overflow grooves can additionally extend longitudinally to the strippingdirection, and/or the depressions between the strippers are open atleast toward one end of the film strip. This prevents a situation wherea suction effect in the depressions arises and liquid is thereby suckedout of the infiltrated lesion again. For this reason, strongly absorbentcleaning elements, for example of woven fabrics or cotton pads, are notespecially suitable for the infiltration method.

The various areas of the application strip can be differently colored orcan assume different colors.

The bow-shaped element can have means for securing a handle. Insertingand positioning the application aid by means of a handle has theadvantage that the user does not have to place the fingers in the oralcavity in order to maneuver the device. This permits firstly a furtherimproved view of the treatment area and also better controlled use ofthe device according to the invention. The handle is preferably mountedon top of and/or to the side of the web of the bow-shaped element or onone of the arms. It can be secured via a hinge-like connection, suchthat the handle can be folded to the side or bent after insertion of thedevice. The connection could alternatively involve a predeterminedbreak, such that the handle can be broken off after the device has beenintroduced.

Directly before use, the liquid can be applied to the application fieldof the plastic film with conventional dental brushes or syringes.

It is possible, but disadvantageous, for the infiltration liquid to beapplied to the application area already at the time of manufacture. Theproducts usually have shelf lives of several years and must therefore beable to be stored safely. For an infiltration liquid or an etching gelto be stored ready for use on the application field over a relativelylong period of time, very high demands also have to be placed, forexample, on the chemical resistance of the film. Moreover, the liquidmay contain volatile components, which would require a gas-tight and/orvapor-tight packaging of the whole application aid. In addition, theinfiltration liquids have pronounced creep characteristics and couldspread out from the application area and across the whole device duringthe storage time. This would render the device unusable. Theinfiltration liquid contains polymerization initiators which, forexample, have to be stored in a manner protected from light. The liquidis therefore advantageously stored separately from the application stripor plastic film.

In order to store the liquid in a stable and safe manner over a periodof several months to years, it is preferable to use light-protected,chemically resistant, gas-tight and/or vapor-tight syringes. Thesyringes are preferably made of glass and/or plastic, particularlypreferred plastics being cycloolefin polymers (COP) and/or cycloolefincopolymers (COC). The syringe can be designed as a carpule, a simplepressure syringe or a rotary syringe.

In one embodiment, the liquid is not applied to the application field ofthe film until the application strip is already placed in theinterdental space. This therefore further improves the protectionagainst other areas being contaminated with the liquid. The safety ofuse is increased. More targeted dosing is also possible.

For this purpose, provision can be made for the liquid to be conveyed tothe application field of the film by way of the bow-shaped element. Forthis purpose, the bow-shaped element contains one or more channels.These channels are preferably contained in the web of the bow-shapedelement. The channels lead from an opening in the bow-shaped element tothe film, particularly preferably directly to the application field, andspecifically from the direction of the web and/or the arms. A syringecan, for example, be attached to the opening or can be inserted with atight fit into the opening, and the liquid can be conveyed through thechannels to the film. Suitable syringes and application devices forthese are described in European patent specification EP 0714638 B1, forexample.

The syringe can also be integrated in the above-described handle. Thiscan be done in such a way that the syringe can be actuated from outsidethe oral cavity.

If, as has been described above, the application strip is designed as acomposite film, it is also possible for the application strip to havechannels between the two films. These channels then representcontinuations of the channels in the bow-shaped element and lead fromthe latter to the application field of the plastic film and preferablyextend into the application field, such that a pocket perforated on oneside is obtained for the liquid.

The channels of the bow-shaped element and the channels of theapplication strip can be strengthened, supplemented or connected byadditional elements, for example a tube element.

Provision can also be made for a dose of the liquid to be storeddirectly in or on the bow-shaped element. In one embodiment of theinvention, a film pouch is used for this purpose, which film pouchempties into the above-described channels when pressure is applied.Preferred film pouch arrangements are described in the publishedinternational application WO 2007/017225 A2, for example. The use ofcapsules or cavities with discharging pistons is also possible.

As was mentioned above, the film can contain areas for removing excessliquid. Alternatively, a separate device can be provided which has abow-shaped element and a plastic film with the described cleaningelements, but no area for application (infiltration). This deviceexpediently forms, with said device for infiltration, an overall devicein the form of a treatment set, which additionally has one or moreseparating wedges of different size for widening the interdental space,an etching agent, a drying agent and/or an application aid for theetching agent, and the infiltration liquid. If the device forinfiltration also has strippers, the device that contains only stripperscan also be omitted from the set.

Separating wedges that are suitable in principle for the set aredescribed, for example, in United States patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,007B2. The drying agent for the lesion is preferably a highly volatile,toxicologically safe solvent, in particular one containing ethanol. Theset can also contain brushes and/or syringes for directly applying thevarious materials to the application aids or also to the tooth.

The separating wedges preferably have a triangular cross section, ithaving proven particularly advantageous if one of the three points ofthe triangular cross section is flattened, such that the cross sectionis trapezoid, since this facilitates the introduction of the film if theflattened point is directed away from the gum.

The device for infiltration can of course be used just as well fortreatment with a liquid or gel-like etching agent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described below on the basis of advantageousillustrative embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device;

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment from FIG. 1, with a handle mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment with channels for supplying the liquid forthe infiltration;

FIG. 4 shows, in partial cross section, an embodiment with channels, andwith a syringe arranged in a handle and used for supplying the liquidfor the infiltration;

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of part of the device;

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment with a film pouch for the liquid;

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment from FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the device; and

FIG. 9 shows another use of part of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the device 10, having a bow-shaped element12 which is substantially U-shaped and which has a web 16 and two arms18. The bow-shaped element 12 is advantageously made of plastic, inparticular an injection-molded part. A plastic film 14 is securedbetween the web 16 and the arms 18, the lower edge of the plastic film14 reaching as far as the free ends of the arms 18. The plastic film hasdepressions on one side in the area 22, onto or into which depressionsan infiltration agent can be applied or introduced. Slats 24, which areused to strip off excess liquid, are provided to the right and leftalongside the area 22 of the depressions. The web 16 is provided withrecesses 20, which are used to secure a handle 26 shown in FIG. 2. Thehandle 26 can have a bendable area 26′. This handle can also be mountedlaterally on an arm 18 and advantageously secured with a hinge-likeconnecting area on the arm 18, such that the handle 26 can be foldedafter the device 10 has been placed in the interdental space. Thesecuring can also be achieved in the form of a predetermined break, suchthat the handle 26 can be removed from the oral cavity after the device10 has been put in place.

The embodiments in FIGS. 3 and 4 differ from the embodiment in FIG. 1 byhaving channels 30 (shown in FIG. 4) which lead from an upper opening 28to the area 22 where the depressions for the infiltration agent areprovided. In the embodiment in FIG. 3, the infiltration agent, inparticular a liquid, could be poured in at the top and would then moveto the area 22 by gravity. In the embodiment in FIG. 4, this purpose isserved by a syringe 32, which is arranged in the handle 26 and isattached via the angled front area 32′ to the opening 28 or to thebow-shaped element 12. Although the opening 28 and the front area 32′ ofthe syringe are slightly conical here, they can have different shapesadapted to each other in such a way that they permit a close-fittingattachment.

FIG. 5 shows a preferred configuration of the front area 32′, whichcomprises a disk-shaped element 35 that matches a corresponding opening28. The contour and the internal dimensions of the opening 28substantially correspond to the external dimensions of the front area32′ with the disk-shaped element 35. FIG. 5 shows only one half of thebow-shaped element 12, provided in the area of the opening 28 with adepression 36, which is likewise provided in the other half of thebow-shaped element 12 symmetrical with respect to this half. Thedisk-shaped element 28 fits into these depressions 36. After thedisk-shaped element 28 has been inserted into the depression 36 of onehalf of the element 12, the film 14, shown by broken lines in FIG. 5,and the second half of the bow-shaped element 12 are laid on top andconnected to each other by adhesive bonding, welding or the like. Thefilm 14 in this case preferably has two layers, with one layer beingarranged under and one layer over the disk-shaped element 35, such thatthe liquid can then pass between the film layers and then out throughcorresponding perforations of the film 14 on one side. The channel 30can also be connected by a tube element 37 to the channels of theapplication strip 14.

In the embodiment in FIGS. 6 and 7, a film pouch 34, which contains theinfiltration liquid, is mounted in the area of the opening 28. Whenpressure is exerted on the film pouch 34, this infiltration agent canthen be moved into the area 22 with the depressions for the infiltrationagent. The film pouch 34 in this case preferably has, in the lower area,a predetermined break (not shown in the figure) which bursts whenpressure is exerted, such that the liquid can pass into the area 22.

FIG. 8 shows a part of the application aid 10 with handle 26 and withsyringe 32 arranged therein, and with an area 26′ that is bent orbendable like a hinge. The area 26′ is tubular. The area 26′ ispreferably bellows-like. However, it can also be composed of smoothtubes of ductile material (metal, plastic), in particular of alengthways bonding of different materials. The figure also shows thedisk-shaped element 35, which can be connected to the opening 28 of thebow-shaped element 12.

The angled front area 32′ of the syringe can, as is also shown in FIG.5, be designed as a separate element that can be connected to thesyringe 32 in a detachable manner. A suitable (Luer) cone can then beprovided on the syringe, which preferably has a union nut 38 (shown inFIG. 9) for securing the connection (Luer lock).

FIG. 9 also shows another use of part of the device, which part can be acomponent of a set or kit. A flock 39 is provided on the disk-shaped end35 of a handle 26 or of a syringe 32, which flock 39 is wetted by theliquid and can be used to treat the exposed surfaces of teeth 40. Theangled shape is not absolutely necessary.

1. A device for infiltration of approximal tooth surfaces, with aflexible planar element, and with a holder into which the planar elementis clamped, characterized in that the planar element is aliquid-impermeable plastic film, which has a surface area for taking upa liquid to be used for treatment, and in that the holder is abow-shaped element with a web and with two lateral arms which extendfrom the latter and which are arranged in an arc shape or U shape, towhich the plastic film is connected in a liquid-impermeable manner, andthe bow-shaped element has one or more channels, which lead from anopening in the bow-shaped element to the surface area of the film, wherethe liquid is to be taken up.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the opening is arranged on a top face of the web.3. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the film isconnected to the bow-shaped element in a liquid-impermeable manner onthree sides.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in thatthe film is connected to the bow-shaped element in a liquid-impermeablemanner on three sides.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the film is connected to the bow-shaped element bywelding or adhesive bonding.
 6. The device as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that the film is connected to the bow-shaped element bywelding or adhesive bonding.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 3,characterized in that the film is connected to the bow-shaped element bywelding or adhesive bonding.
 8. The device as claimed in claim 4,characterized in that the film is connected to the bow-shaped element bywelding or adhesive bonding.
 9. The device as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that the film is clamped in the bow-shaped element. 10.The device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the film isclamped in the bow-shaped element.
 11. The device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the film is transparent at least in part.
 12. Thedevice as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the film, in thearea for taking up the liquid, is provided with depressions or hollows.13. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thedepressions or hollows are formed by the joining of two films, of whichone is provided with recesses.
 14. The device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the film extends as far as the free ends of thearms.
 15. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thebow-shaped element is made of plastic.
 16. The device as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the bow-shaped element is aninjection-molded part.
 17. The device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that it has a handle.
 18. The device as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the handle has a hinge-like or bendablearea between its main part and its end on which the bow-shaped elementis secured.
 19. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe handle is provided with a syringe for the liquid.
 20. The device asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that it additionally has, in theform of a set or kit, one or more separating wedges of different sizefor widening the interdental space, an etching agent, a drying agentand/or an application aid for the etching agent, and the infiltrationliquid.